April 14 to 20 declared 'Public Safety Telecommunications Week' in Ionia County

Wednesday

Apr 10, 2013 at 10:22 PMApr 10, 2013 at 10:42 PM

Commissioners honor Ionia County Central Dispatch personnel

Karen Botakaren.bota@sentinel-standard.com

The Ionia County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution at its meeting Tuesday to observe April 14 to 20 as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week. The week pays tribute to 911 dispatchers and others in the field of public safety communications in Ionia County.

The resolution states in part that the board recognizes "the personnel of Ionia County Central Dispatch are a vital and highly valued part of Ionia County ... (and) in recognition of their excellent and dedicated service to Ionia County, it is fitting and proper that they be highly commended and praised."

The motion to adopt the resolution passed unanimously.

Dispatchers are "the unsung heroes of public safety," said Julie Calley, commissioner and chair of the board.

"As the first contact during a variety of intense situations, dispatchers offer guidance and calm assurance while they gather and dispense the necessary information," Calley said. "The stressful demands of their occupation too often go unrecognized. Our community is forever indebted to their service and dedication at Ionia County Central Dispatch."

The dispatcher is the first responder to the first responder, Ionia County Central Dispatch Director Jim Valentine told commissioners when he presented the resolution to them for consideration.

"A tagline I use is: If you need a first responder in your home in 30 seconds, call 911. They have the tools to verbally assist, to tell people how to do CPR, how to control bleeding, what to do if their house is on fire," Valentine said Wednesday to the Sentinel-Standard. "The dispatcher owns that event for the first five to 10 minutes until the first responders arrive with boots on the ground to take over, hands on."

Most people don't realize what goes on in central dispatch centers, Valentine said.

"People imagine a person sitting in front of a single radio, answering calls on an old phone," he said. "It is a highly technical and complex job, in front of five computer monitors, three computers that are interfaced, phones that interface, an interface with GIS mapping and radios all operated by computer. I've been here for more than four years, and not a day goes by that I am not floored by what they do and how they do it."

Ionia County Central Dispatch employs 11 dispatchers and a dispatch supervisor who work 12-hour shifts, two or three at a time, handling emergency and non-emergency calls for 14 fire departments, six police departments, and two ambulance services across the county.

"The most stressful position to work in, hands down, by far, is as a dispatcher," said Valentine, who previously worked at a police first responder site. "The police and fire clear a scene and might not deal with that type of situation for another two or three shifts. Here in this center, two to four times in a shift, a dispatcher can be overwhelmed with calls, or horrible, horrible 911 calls – catastrophic, God-awful things you can only imagine hearing. They own the call until the first responder comes the through door."

The dispatchers' skills in asking the right questions to get the necessary information is important to law enforcement's response, said Ionia County Sheriff Dale Miller.

"Without (the dispatchers), we wouldn't have the ability to respond in the appropriate fashion to all types of calls, and give the service that citizens expect and deserve," he said. "We're glad to have professional partners in the central dispatch communications center. In the ever-changing world of communications, they play a very important part. We definitely appreciate their professionalism and the service they provide."

One of those "professional partners" is Breann Burns of Belding, who has worked at Ionia County Central Dispatch for 15 months. Before that, she worked at Belding Dispatch, where she learned she "loved this line of work." When Belding eliminated its dispatch center, she took a position in Ionia County.

"It's rewarding," Burns said. "I enjoy helping people who are usually in a time of crisis."

"Having someone available, no matter when you call, is something that people take for granted until there comes a time when they really need emergency assistance," said John Odette, deputy director of the Ionia Department of Public Safety, who noted that the job of a 911 dispatcher is a 24-hour, 365 days-a-year responsibility.

"Giving these professionals recognition for what they choose to do as a career helps to ensure that they will be there in any type of situation – not only for the sake of the medical, fire and police agencies they dispatch for, but also for the public's peace of mind, to know there are quality, top-notch personnel dedicated to serving their emergency needs," Odette said.

Public safety communications personnel not only include 911 call takers and dispatchers, but also technicians who maintain radio and emergency phone systems, communications staff trainers, communications center personnel, and other public safety telecommunications staff that help the public, often behind the scenes, during emergencies.

"We also need to recognize the technicians, staff and administration who work together on a day-to-day basis to make it possible for the dispatchers to perform their jobs proficiently," said Odette.